Do It Different: Death Knights

Before, we said that Death Knights were too new to ‘do it different’ – It was just time to do it at all.

Yeah, that’s done now.

So, Death Knights. Since everyone has one and you can even make one as your first character on a server now, how do you do it different? I’m so glad you asked.

WARNING. THIS ARTICLE MAY HAVE SPOILERS FOR THE DEATH KNIGHT STARTER AREA. I’VE BEEN AS VAGUE AS I CAN, BUT YOU PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The Stereotype: The stereotypical Death Knight is a brooding fellow, dark and gothic. A penitent who has come to realise all the evil he did as part of the Scourge and is now trying to atone in some way, shape or form. He’s a dark spectre within his faction; not truly accepted but determined to defend it.

The Alternatives: The Seeker: A time ago, this Death Knight was killed, and turned into a walking abomination against his people. Now that he has returned, he’s desperately trying to re-establish that connection from the ground up… even if this winds up looking a little silly along the way. The orc strips off his armor and goes back to the Valley of Trials, humbly consenting to training again and participating in shamanic rituals and dances. The human buries herself in the theology of the Light, begging the monks and priestesses of Northshire Abbey to let him study in their library. The night elf bathes in Moon Wells and tries to find animals that don’t recoil at the sight of her. In all cases, the goal isn’t to become good. It’s just to become human. (Or orcish, or night elvish, or gnomish.) Best spec: Could be any, but for sheer irony, I’m going to suggest Unholy – Having a ghoul with you always is a painful reminder that you’re not what you were… and may never be again.

The Time Bomb: And then some never regretted a damn thing. They trampled their way through the battlefield, revelling in the crack of bones, ripping of flesh, the weeping of women and children. Oh, they felt betrayed by the Lich King too; but it wasn’t being sent to die that did it. That battle, that single glorious moment before the shame… that would have been a fitting destruction. No, what offended this one was that the Lich King abandoned them when they were defeated. Now he has thrown his lot in with the Horde or Alliance, but it’s not the same. He wades into battle and slaughters, but he’s directed against only soldiers, taking objectives, limiting his casualties and being responsible. The taste for blood unabated, he gets into endless brawls in the streets (/duels, of course) and drinks to excess. Everyone is afraid that he’s eventually going to snap – but what’s the alternative? Throw him out where he may be picked up by an enemy… one who’ll let him off the leash against them? Best Spec: Blood, of course.

Ronin: Betrayed, abandoned, and lost, this character refuted the claim that she should now serve the Alliance or the Horde. While she has some loyalty to the Ebon Hold, she has otherwise defied the suggestions and refused to join either faction. Instead, she has withdrawn internally, pondering her past and trying to behold her future. She does this not out of contrariness but sincere self-reflection. Having accepted what she did was evil, she now is determined to be good and is as yet unconvinced that the Horde or the Alliance are any better. She refuses to enter their cities, accept their orders, or acknowledge them as enemies either. Instead, she wanders the land, accepting only the quests that she feels make the world better. If what was truly evil about the Scourge was that her free will was stripped away from her, then surely the total command of free will is what will make the world, and more importantly herself, better. Best Spec: Frost, both to highlight the cold inner reflection going on, but because tanking makes sense for someone who has started to devote herself to protecting others.
BONUS SCENE: You get cool points if, after having been ronin for a long time, you finally agree that the Alliance/Horde is a worthwhile endeavour and only now, at long last, enter Stormwind/Orgrimmar and with your head held high offer your blade to its King/Warchief. You get SERIOUS FREAKING cool points if you do it at level 80 with all your new buddies whose trust you have won, walking alongside you the whole way in and shouting down all the people yelling at you and throwing rotten fruit your way.

Keep in mind that not doing the appropriate quest for this until then is doable, but you will only be able to train with Highlord Mograine and you can’t reset your talents until you do so. So it’s doable, but difficult.

That’s why it’s worth bonus points.